Semi-Sweet On You (Hot Cakes #4) - Erin Nicholas Page 0,67
has absolutely confirmed it now. She has to lead us in… most of the things we have coming up.”
Cam knew that. It had been obvious during the meeting, even over his computer screen. “Of course we do.”
He wanted Hot Cakes to be successful, of course. But not because of his own bank account, and less and less because of wanting to throw it back in the faces of the Lancasters. It was about his friends. This was important to Aiden. And Grant now that he was staying in Appleby with Josie. It was also important to Whitney.
That was the ultimate reason Cam wanted this to all go forward and be huge. Aiden and Grant could make it work, somehow. They’d probably have to hire some more people. Consultants and shit. But they’d figure it out. Eventually. Possibly not on the timeline they’d laid out that morning though.
But they were both already millionaires, for fuck’s sake. And they were also entrepreneurs who had previously built a business from the ground up. They’d find something else if Hot Cakes flopped.
This was a lot bigger deal to Whitney. It was all she had.
So yeah, he was going to be her friend. So that she would feel she could confide in him so he could help her. But also because she’d made it clear that was what she wanted. She hadn’t bullshitted him or taken her panties off to try to get her way—which definitely would have worked. She’d been clear about what she wanted.
Now, she needed help. And he and his friends were, obviously, the best ones to give it to her.
“So don’t piss her off,” Aiden said. “Or turn her off about working for us.”
Cam frowned. “Which is why she and I are going to be just friends.”
“And boss-employee with no extra shit,” Grant said, almost as if he hadn’t heard Cam. “You can’t be making her uncomfortable or to feel like she has to worry about—”
“I know,” Cam said. “I think we should offer her a partnership.”
All the other men were quiet, clearly surprised.
“She’s doing more to move things forward than the rest of us,” Cam said. “She deserves it. That will help her feel like she’s truly an equal part. That we trust her. And that she doesn’t have to prove anything to us.”
“So you can sleep with her then without it being weird?” Dax asked. He’d given up his share in the company so he could date Jane, an employee.
“No.” Cam sighed. “I’m trying to be mature here.”
“Sorry,” Dax said with a grin. “Mature isn’t really something I’m used to. Hard to recognize it.”
Cam nodded. “Fair enough. Especially with me. When it pertains to Whitney.”
They were good enough friends to not confirm they agreed with that. At least out loud.
“I’m trying to be a good guy,” Cam said.
“This is a one-eighty in five days,” Aiden commented.
“It is,” Cam agreed.
Aiden shook his head. “I really expected fireworks from you two.”
Cam nodded. “Me too.”
“But you’re not at each other’s throats?” Aiden asked. “It’s not tense or awkward?”
He hardly saw her, really, so no it wasn’t either of those things. But honestly, it wasn’t tense or awkward anyway. He’d expected them to fight. Or at least bicker. But… it didn’t feel right. She made him feel protective and hell, proud. Yeah, proud over the things she was doing at Hot Cakes. Of all the crazy things.
Laughter from the family room made him smile and he said, “Whitney and I have bigger things going on than a breakup from ten years ago.”
Aiden gave him a little frown. “You sure?”
“We were kids. We’re both different people now.” Cam took a breath and looked at the other men. They were his best friends. They knew him better than anyone. They had his back. “She and I haven’t talked, not really, in years. We haven’t spent time together. When I think of her, I think of the girl I knew. I’m just getting to know the woman who is now my business partner for all intents and purposes. How can I be angry with her? Or hurt by her? Or… in love with her? I’ve just met her in a lot of ways.”
The guys just looked at him. Dax looked confused, Grant looked skeptical, and Aiden looked worried.
Cam shrugged. She might physically want him. They did have chemistry. And a history. But she didn’t want him. Not as a boyfriend. Not as someone she confided in. Not as someone she turned to for help.